Packing list on paper

So much to purchase and gather! Second Ascent has been my go-to store and I plan to take a fresh look at stuff I already own. My Illinois snow boots could probably be patched, I have some no-longer-remotely-stylish wool sweaters that I was going to donate, etc.

Suggestions welcome!

[Most of this list is compiled from the Azerbaijan packing list ]

General clothing:

_A good supply of underwear
_Polypropylene, wool, and cotton socks and glove liners
_Good wool hiking socks (that wick moisture and dry quickly); 3-4 pairs recommended
_Long underwear of two or three different weights (e.g., wool and silk)
_Polyfill outerwear/coat. Some people suggest bringing two—a full-length black wool coat and a down coat. (Informal, sport-type winter coats can be useful and warm, but draw a lot of attention, whereas black pea coats will not. Winters can be quite cold, especially in the north; you may find yourself wearing a jacket, hat, and gloves in the classroom)
_Medium-weight jacket for spring/fall.
_Woolen or ski-type hats, gloves, and scarves
_Bathing suit (for trips to the beach)

Gender-specific clothing

_An assortment of winter and summer clothing: skirts and blouses, dresses, knit tops, dressy and casual slacks, and jeans; skirts and dresses should be full or mid-calf length
_2-3 sweaters or dressy sweatshirts
_2-3 cardigans (good for layering)
_One good outfit for formal events
_Some comfortable “house” clothes; sweatpants, etc.
_Slips (cotton is recommended)
_Leggings, tights, and stockings (good-quality ones may be hard to find locally)
_Shorts (for safety reasons, to be worn only at home or while jogging early in the morning)

Other

_Any favorite over-the-counter medical supplies. (those provided by the Peace Corps are generic ones) Peace Corps does not provide nasal spray or cold medicine, both of which are great. Bring a couple doses of AM and PM.
_A three-month supply of any prescription drugs you take, to give the Peace Corps ample time to order your special needs
_At least two pairs of eyeglasses, if you wear them, since replacements can take several months to arrive from the United States (contact lens supplies are not available in Azerbaijan and are not supplied by the Peace Corps)
While Peace Corps discourages contact lenses, wearing them is quite feasible in Azerbaijan. Bring a few bottles of solution with you (including a couple compact ones for traveling in-country) or prepare to have some sent to you, as solution is very expensive (around $15 a bottle) in Baku.
_Towels (of good-quality; absorbent cotton); Volunteers also recommend “quick-dry” towels.
_Jewelry and makeup, if you like to wear them (Azerbaijani women in towns wear both)
_Hair-coloring products, if you use them (U.S. brands are not available locally)
_Good can opener
_Vegetable Peeler
_Kitchen knife (they can be purchased here, but become dull really quickly)
_Favorite spices (they may be difficult to find, especially in winter. Many are available in Baku, but can be expensive.)
_Favorite cooking supplies (pots and pans can be found in Azerbaijan)
_Quality hot pad / oven mitt
_Basic cookbook (Peace Corps will also provide you with a cookbook)
_An assortment of plastic storage bags (zip lock bags, a couple large American sized garbage bags)
_Reliable watch (durable, water-resistant, and inexpensive)
_Travel alarm clock (battery-operated is best)
_Sunglasses
_Sturdy work gloves, if you like to garden or work outdoors
_Small day pack without frame (great for shopping or carrying books or work materials)
_Camera (compact ones are best, since they are inconspicuous and travel well); film and photo processing is available locally
_110/220 transformers, if you bring 110-volt appliances (though a lot of appliances can stand both voltages, such as computers, camera batter chargers, etc.)
_Flashlight and batteries; head-lamp (very useful)
_MP3 Player
_Portable, battery powered speakers
_Flash Drive (the bigger the better so you can swap movies/music with other PCVS)
_One or two sets of sheets (because you do not know the size of your bed, double flats are most useful)
_Small, inexpensive tool kit
_Swiss army knife (very important to many Volunteers)
_Sewing kit
_Duct Tape
_Clothing patterns, if you plan to sew by hand
_Pictures of home for yourself and to share with friends and students
_U.S. postage stamps (people traveling home can sometimes hand-carry your mail)
_U.S. and world maps, to use as teaching aids or wall hangings
_Inexpensive gifts (toys, costume jewelry, perfume, magazines, books, pencils, key chains, etc.)
_Any equipment for hobbies
_Games (e.g., Scrabble, chess, Trivial Pursuit, Pictionary)
_Sports equipment (e.g., bat, baseball, and glove, football, Frisbee, hacky sack, etc.)
_Liquid soap for washing clothes by hand
_Down or synthetic sleeping bag, preferably compactable, rated for minus 10 to minus 20 degrees Fahrenhei. Also consider a fleece liner (Peace Corps will issue you a “monster” sleeping bag for winter.)
_Sleeping pad for visiting other PCVS
_Journal, diary, or schedule book
_Small, retractable tape measure
_A notebook computer with DVD player. If you have a Macbook, be sure to get the USB modem that allows you to use dial-up. Consider getting a small external hard drive as well.

'It doesn't get any better than this'

Or, "Saying Goodbye, Part I."

Last night was an absolutely gorgeous night on Lake Union. I was fortunate to sail and the weather was fantastic - short sleeves until 9pm! Duck Dodge was in full swing and the lake was covered in sailboats. At one point, we gave way to Circe and the skipper joyfully called out, "It doesn't get any better than this!" Indeed.

Right now, my life is abundant with good things. I have an excellent job and a happy personal life. It feels odd to start my countdown to AZ when all goes very, very well. Still, I know that it is time and, to quote Wendy Sue, I know that I can't live with "What if...?" Besides, it's much easier to initiate change when you're at the top instead of stuck at the bottom.